Judging judges

It is high time that the judiciary adheres to the same standards of transparency that it sets for others

Written by The Indian Express |
Published: August 26, 2013 3:54 am

Judging judges

* This refers to 6-member panel to pick judges cleared (IE,August 23). The Union cabinets decision to give a green signal to set in motion the process to institute a judicial appointments commission,which will appoint judges to the Supreme Court and high courts,is a progressive step. The judiciary is an institution where the appointment process is kept away from public scrutiny. It is high time that the judiciary adheres to the same standards of transparency that it sets for others. But it must be ensured that this mechanism does not become a tool in the hands of an unscrupulous executive to cherry-pick pliant judges. Autonomy must not be curtailed in the name of accountability.

 Aman Singh Rathore

Jodhpur

Locus standi

* This refers to I&B pearl of wisdom: may need licence to write this (IE,August 20). The I&B minister says there should be an exam,on the lines of the one conducted by the bar council,which an aspiring journalist would have to pass in order to be granted a licence to practise as a journalist. This,he says,is in line with what several other professionals have to go through. At a time when Parliament has been adjourned every day,having transacted next to no business,one wonders what gives the minister the confidence to intervene in the affairs of a well functioning industry. Maybe the minister ought to suggest a common exam that our politicians would have to pass before being allowed the licence to enter legislatures. The idea of having an exam,in itself,is not a bad one  it will enhance the quality of analysis by the media. Its just not the ministers place to have suggested it.

* This refers to The withering (IE,August 21). The recurring disruptions in Parliament are extremely unfortunate. They slow down the governments working and contribute to the ever-swelling list of pending bills. According to some calculations,each minute that Parliament does not function imposes a cost of Rs 2.5 lakh on the taxpayer,with no offsetting benefit. Parliament not only needs to function,it needs to function efficiently and have more sittings. The British House of Commons sat for 143 days in 2012-13. The contrast with the Lok Sabha,which sat for 73 days in 2011,is stark.

 Gaurav Pant

Lucknow

Pain of insecurity

*This refers to Photojournalist gangraped in central Mumbai mill (IE,august 23). Politicians are always surrounded by gun-toting security personnel. The police is therefore not available to protect common citizens. Politicians do not know the pain of insecurity.